I527-290 ESRIF Final Report (WEB).indd - European Commission

The chosen system should be adaptable and could be composed of different types of remote surveillance equipment
such as fixed unattended ground sensors, or sensors placed on unmanned platforms (ground or aerial). Certain
components could operate, at least partially, autonomously. Furthermore, extreme weather conditions would have
to be taken into account.
Secure communication systems should be able to exchange all types of information (voice, data and video) at a rate that is
compatible with the urgency of the diff erent situations faced. Furthermore, tools for decision support should be available to
Border Guards, integrating criminal intelligence (lessons learned) gathered by all stakeholders.
Surveillance of Maritime External Borders
The main overall challenges to ensuring interoperability and information sharing in the maritime domain are:
Coordination and integration of diff erent national authorities involved in maritime (border) surveillance at national and EU level
Cooperation with neighbouring third countries
These two overarching challenges require capabilities and standards to be developed on a technical level as well as on tactical,
operational and strategic levels.
More specifi cally, interoperability for maritime border surveillance requires specifi c capabilities for each of the following (in
order of importance):
Communications
Common situational picture
Information management (protocols)
Operational processes
Currently, there are a series of shortfalls with regard to the security in the maritime domain:
Open sea: partial coverage, no continuous and persistent surveillance
Coastal waters: gaps in small targets detection
Member State costal surveillance systems: adjacent, non integrated, limited coordination and information sharing
Legal frameworks: limitation on interventions
Fragmentation of involved organisations
Limited interoperability between sectoral stakeholders and systems
No common situational picture
Lack of early warning and documented alarms
Lack of cooperation with neighbouring third countries
Delays in search and rescue operations (SAR)
These shortcomings result in:
Loss of human life related to traffi cking in human beings and illegal migration activities by sea
Unlawful and criminal activities, organised crime at sea
Limited global cost-eff ectiveness
The current capabilities concerning maritime interoperability and information-sharing present the following gaps:
Communications
• Limited interoperability inside and between countries, not because of lack of communication channels, but mainly
because (1) no data exchange practices are performed between actors and (2) concerns about information ownership
• In many Member States, the absence of a single “National Coordination Centre for Border Control/Surveillance” hampers
interconnecting the diff erent national authorities
Common situational pictures and dissemination tools
• Operational situational pictures fusing all available and relevant information are not produced in real time
• Multi-sensor fusion is limited though various sensor solutions are implemented (including space-based sensors)
• Multi information sources fusion (data bases, intelligence etc.) within the already existing situational picture is limited
93